36th New Directors / New Films March 21 through April 1, 2007 Lincoln Center Website Written by Corey Ann Haydu (Opposite Photo from Meanwhile)

This month The Film Society of Lincoln Center and The Museum of Modern Art combine forces in presenting the thirty-sixth annual New Directors/New Films Festival. The films are eclectic in genre and country of origin; it is a rare opportunity to see new work from all over the world. All the films are having their New York, United States or North American premieres at the festival.

Here is a quote from the Lincoln Center Website: "ND/NF 2007 screenings will take place at The Museum of Modern Art's The Roy and Niuta Titus Theater 1 (MoMA), 11 West 53 Street between Fifth & Sixth Avenues and at the Film Society of Lincoln Center's Walter Reade Theater (WRT), 165 West 65th Street between Broadway & Amsterdam Avenues on the plaza level. Please note: There will be standby lines at both theaters for sold out screenings."

New Directors/New Films is a truly unique film festival experience. In the time of Hollywood blockbusters, it is a gift to attend small independent works from gifted filmmakers who do not yet have the resources (or maybe even the desire) to join accessible, mainstream media. This festival is a reminder that films are being made all over the world, every day. It is a warning to all of us to not get sucked in by the idea that the only films we can see are the ones advertised on television, the ones starring millionaire actors with the backing of giant corporations. The New Directors/New Films festival brings filmmaking (and film watching) back to the basics. The films all have merit on their own, and explore many different viewpoints and cultures.

Centrally located, inexpensive and thrilling, this festival is not to be missed. The opportunity to see new work from all over the country is one of the many reasons we all choose to live in or visit Manhattan. Take advantage, enjoy beautiful films, and support this long standing tradition that will hopefully be around for generations of burgeoning filmmakers.

To buy tickets, log onto the Lincoln Center Website. Admission: $12 general public, $10 MoMA & FSLC members with a limit of two member priced tickets per screening. HBO Films Roundtable admission: $10 general public; $6 MoMA & FSLC members."